Yorkshire ambulance service NHS trust has launched an investigation into two staff members who may have accessed or attempted to access the medical records of William Chapman without legitimate permission.
Chapman died after climbing into a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday. The ambulance service responded to emergency calls at the scene.
The trust said the staff members "may have accessed or attempted to access information without legitimate reason" according to a statement provided to The Guardian. The investigation marks a potential breach of patient confidentiality rules that govern NHS staff access to medical records.
The incident highlights concerns around data protection within the health service. NHS staff are required to access patient records only when there is a legitimate clinical or administrative reason to do so. Unauthorised access can constitute a disciplinary matter and potential breach of the Data Protection Act.
No further details about the nature of the potential breach or the outcome of the investigation have been disclosed. The ambulance trust has not yet commented on whether the staff members remain suspended during the inquiry or what specific records may have been accessed.